That means to put under pressure, or to feel the squeeze.
Germans feeling the squeeze over surging food, energy prices – Middle- and low-income families say they’re struggling to make ends meet amid high inflation, soaring energy bills.
Inflation has soared in recent months, hitting 7.5% in June, and according to the latest German central bank estimate, it is likely to rise further this fall, reaching double digits.
But I’m pretty damned unpopular all the same.
Over 60% of Germans are Dissatisfied with the Work of Chancellor Olaf Scholz – Currently, only 25% of Germans are satisfied with Scholz’s performance as chancellor, and as many as 62% are dissatisfied – a record low during his tenure.
If the chancellor had been elected directly, Scholz would have taken only third place. According to the survey, 25 percent would choose current Economy Minister Robert Habeck as Germany’s chancellor, 19 percent would choose CDU leader Friedrich Merz and only 18 percent would choose Scholz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
That means existential threat. Like: “The existence of many companies is being threatened by the increased prices.”
German companies are supposed to save gas. But the switch to oil, for example, is being held back by bureaucracy and legal uncertainty.
The German government is calling for gas savings, with the Federal Minister of Economics leading the way – and yet, from the point of view of companies, the government is preventing exactly what it is calling for. Several associations say that it is very difficult for companies to obtain approval for retrofits.
When you’ve got less than three months of gas for the coming winter.
Hang in there. You’ll have enough for four months in no time, Germany. Or maybe you won’t. But still. Self-imposed dependency rocks.
Stocks are rising fast, but still not enough, regulator says.
Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? That means nuclear power.
The real world has a way of biting you in your ideological ass from time to time.
Germany to Keep Last Three Nuclear-Power Plants Running in Policy U-Turn – Move prompted by the mounting economic war with Russia marks the first departure from a two-decade policy to abandon nuclear energy.
Germany plans to postpone the closure of the countr’s last three nuclear power plants as it braces for a possible shortage of energy this winter after Russia throttled gas supplies to the country, said German government officials.
Electricity prices in Germany:
Google Searches for ”firewood” in Germany:
You won’t be able to pay for your heating this winter as it is? We’ll help out by adding an additional tax to that. Only we won’t call it a tax, of course. We’ll call it an Umlage. That means contribution, share, levy.
It’s what we do here in Green Germany. It’s for the greater good or something.
Germany Slaps Levy on Households to Spread Pain of Gas Surge – Government allows industry to pass on prices to consumers.
Germany’s government said households will face additional annual costs of about 290 euros ($296) to pay for natural gas as the burden of Russia’s squeeze on energy flows to Europe is redistributed.
That means deceptive packaging (smaller amounts of a product for the same price). Or shrinkflation, if you prefer.
Forget Inflation. Shrinkflation Is Sparking Fury in Germany – German shoppers are getting increasingly angry at attempts to hike goods prices by stealth.
While so-called shrinkflation — where the cost of a product stays the same though its size declines — isn’t a new phenomenon, consumer-protection authorities in Europe’s top economy are being inundated by complaints.
That means, literally, the end of the terrain. You know, as in the end of the line, end of the story, the buck stops here? That’s the name of that leftist climate activist group down there.
They’re trying to blockade the port of Hamburg (because of that bad LNG stuff coming from Amerika) and a coal-fired power plant in order to save the planet.
Now, I’m no climate activist expert here, but if you’re going to block a train shouldn’t you be on the tracks and not between them? Just saying. And they’re not even glued to anything yet. A little more quality control here, people.
Observing Hermann 